Rebirth in Action

Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH) and Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy (HFTC) are partnering to create artistic activations through artist residency programs, research fellowships, and exhibitions with the mission to share and honor the story of Houston’s Fourth Ward and to establish creative opportunities informed by its legacy and community stakeholders.

Rebirth in Action is a unique collaboration between Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH), Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy (HFTC), the City of Houston, and the renowned artist Theaster Gates. This multi-year initiative, launched in 2022, integrates artists alongside planned infrastructure upgrades to tell the story of freedom and amplify the preexisting dignity of Houston’s Freedmen’s Town.

Freedmen’s Town, a 40-block area west of downtown Houston, is the most significant intact Freedmen’s Town in America. Established in 1865 as the child of Juneteenth, Freedmen’s Town was built by newly free Black people who formed a vibrant community anchored by hand-made brick streets. Today, those same brick streets stand as a testament to the resilience and possibility of Black places. Rebirth in Action, with its core focus on the historical significance of Freedmen’s Town, aims to preserve this singular community, its agency, and heritage for future generations.

The primary project goal is to fully preserve .7 miles of Freedmen’s Town’s historic brick streets and catalyze the ongoing preservation and programming of Freedmen’s Town’s 35 remaining original structures. Rebirth in Action bridges stewardship of the Freedmen’s Town Heritage District and artists’ engagement with a legacy community who have advocated for preserving the brick streets for decades. Preserving these structures and brick streets will advance the community’s revitalization, promote heritage tourism, and celebrate its unique history and culture, ultimately securing a pathway for UNESCO World Heritage Site designation. These benefits extend beyond preservation, making the project a catalyst for mission-based and artist-driven community development and broad cultural appreciation.

CAMHLAB at Freedmen's Town

CAMHLAB at Freedmen’s Town is an onsite artist-in-residency program that aims to highlight, honor, and animate the histories and stories of Freedmen’s Town. Through month-long residencies, the program aims to generate research, contextualize, and connect artists and the general public to the stories of Freedmen’s Town.

Freedmen's Town Residents

If you are a resident of Freedmen’s Town and are looking for information on stakeholder meetings or upcoming skillshare workshops, visit the link below.

Additional Information and Updates

If you have any questions about the project, we would love to hear from you! Please contact Mich Stevenson, Project Manager – Partnerships, CAMH x HFTC at mstevenson@camh.org.

Rebirth in Action Exhibitions and Programs

Support

Phase 1 of Rebirth in Action is generously supported by Mellon Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Phase 2 of Rebirth in Action is generously supported by the Wagner Foundation. 

Contemporary Arts Museum Houston is funded in part by the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance and the Texas Commission on the Arts.

Houston Freedmen's Town Conservancy Strategic Plan